SSAT Middle Level Math : SSAT Middle Level Quantitative (Math)

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Middle Level Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #95 : Algebra

Simplify:

\(\displaystyle 3x + 14y + 4(xy - 4x)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 5x^{2}y^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 5xy\)

\(\displaystyle 10y - 9x\)

\(\displaystyle 14y - x + 4xy\)

\(\displaystyle 14y - 13x + 4xy\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 14y - 13x + 4xy\)

Explanation:

Begin by distributing the \(\displaystyle 4\) through the group:

\(\displaystyle 3x + 14y + 4(xy) - (4)(4x)\)

Next, perform the multiplications:

\(\displaystyle 3x + 14y + 4xy - 16x\)

Group the like terms:

\(\displaystyle 3x - 16x+ 14y + 4xy\)

Combine like terms:

\(\displaystyle -13x+ 14y + 4xy\)

Rearrange the terms to get the answer as it appears in the answer choices.

Example Question #161 : Algebra

Simplify:

\(\displaystyle 43x^{2} + 2xy - 3y - 4(7xy - 22x^{2})\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 65x^{2} - 26xy - 3y\)

\(\displaystyle -45x^{2} - 26xy - 3y\)

\(\displaystyle 131x^{2} - 29xy\)

\(\displaystyle 131x^{2} - 26xy - 3y\)

\(\displaystyle -45x^{2} - 45xy - 3y\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 131x^{2} - 26xy - 3y\)

Explanation:

Begin by multiplying through by \(\displaystyle -4\):

\(\displaystyle 43x^{2} + 2xy - 3y + (-4)(7xy) - (-4)(22x^{2})\)

Perform the multiplications:

\(\displaystyle 43x^{2} + 2xy - 3y - 28xy - (-88x^{2})\)

The double negation becomes addition:

\(\displaystyle 43x^{2} + 2xy - 3y - 28xy + 88x^{2}\)

Group like terms:

\(\displaystyle 43x^{2}+ 88x^{2} + 2xy - 28xy - 3y\)

Combine like terms:

\(\displaystyle 131x^{2} + 26xy - 3y\)

Example Question #711 : Concepts

Simplify:

\(\displaystyle 8(x+7) - 3 (x + 10)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 9x+22\)

\(\displaystyle 5x+ 26\)

\(\displaystyle 5x+ 46\)

\(\displaystyle 9x + 43\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 5x+ 26\)

Explanation:

\(\displaystyle 8(x+7) - 3 (x + 10)\)

\(\displaystyle = 8 \cdot x+ 8 \cdot 7 - 3 \cdot x - 3 \cdot 10\)

\(\displaystyle = 8 x+ 56 - 3x - 30\)

\(\displaystyle = 5x+ 26\)

Example Question #112 : Operations

Subtract in modulo 11:

\(\displaystyle 5-9\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 4\)

\(\displaystyle 6\)

\(\displaystyle 2\)

\(\displaystyle 8\)

\(\displaystyle 7\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 7\)

Explanation:

\(\displaystyle 5-9 = 5 + (-9)= -(9-5) = -4\) in normal arithmetic.

In modulo 11 arithmetic, a negative number has 11 added to it as many times as necessary until a positive sum is reached:

\(\displaystyle -4 + 11 = 7\)

Therefore, 

\(\displaystyle 5-9 \equiv 7 \mod 11\)

Example Question #91 : Variables

Suppose you know the values of all variables in the expression 

\(\displaystyle t - w \cdot k + n\)

and you want to evaluate the expression.

In which order will you carry out the operations?

Possible Answers:

Multiplying, adding, subtracting

Subtracting, adding, multiplying

Multiplying, subtracting, adding

Adding, subtracting, multiplying

Subtracting, multiplying, adding

Correct answer:

Multiplying, subtracting, adding

Explanation:

By the order of operations, in the absence of grouping symbols, multiplication takes precedence over addition and subtraction. Addition and subtraction are then carried out with equal priority, but from left to right, so the subtraction is performed second and the addition last.

Example Question #92 : Variables

Which of the following phrases can be written as the algebraic expression \(\displaystyle 7 + x ^{2}\) ?

Possible Answers:

Twice the sum of seven and a number

Twice a number added to seven

The square of a number added to seven

The square of the product of seven and a number

The square of the sum of seven and a number

Correct answer:

The square of a number added to seven

Explanation:

\(\displaystyle 7 + x^{2}\) is \(\displaystyle x^{2}\) added to seven; \(\displaystyle x^{2}\) is the square of a number.

\(\displaystyle 7 + x^{2}\) is subsequently "the square of a number added to seven".

Example Question #123 : Variables

Solve.

\(\displaystyle 0.4 +\frac{5}{10}-4.67\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 4.67\)

\(\displaystyle -4.07\)

\(\displaystyle 4.07\)

\(\displaystyle -4.61\)

None of these

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -4.07\)

Explanation:

The first step to solving is to convert all the numbers to a common form. We will convert to decimals, since this form is used in the answer choices. 

\(\displaystyle \frac{5}{10}=5\div10=0.20\)

Plug this value into the original equation and solve.

\(\displaystyle 0.4 +0.2-4.67\)

\(\displaystyle 0.6-4.67\)

\(\displaystyle -4.07\)

Our final answer is \(\displaystyle -4.07\).

Example Question #31 : How To Subtract Variables

If \(\displaystyle R\) is an odd number, which of the following must also be odd?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle R+3\)

\(\displaystyle R+1\)

\(\displaystyle 6R\)

\(\displaystyle R-4\)

\(\displaystyle 4R-8\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle R-4\)

Explanation:

The easiest way to solve this problem is to pick an odd number (we can use 3 for example), and plug it into each answer choice. 

The only answer choice that gives us an odd result is:

\(\displaystyle R-4\)

\(\displaystyle 3-4=-1\)

As a rule of thumb, an even number subtracted from an odd number will always result in an odd number.

Example Question #161 : Algebra

Philip had a glass containing 16 ounces of water. He drank 2 ounces. His brother then drank half of what remained. How many ounces of water are now in the glass?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 2\)

\(\displaystyle 8\)

\(\displaystyle 5\)

\(\displaystyle 6\)

\(\displaystyle 7\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 7\)

Explanation:

If there were 16 ounces of water to start, this amount decreased to 14 ounces when Philip drank 2 ounces. 

\(\displaystyle 16-2=14\)

With 14 ounces remaining, his brother drank half. This would be equal to 7 ounces.

\(\displaystyle 14\div2=7\)

This left the other half of the water, which was also 7 ounces; thus, 7 ounces in the amount of water that remained.

Example Question #33 : How To Subtract Variables

If \(\displaystyle 17\) minus two times another number equals \(\displaystyle 3\), what is the other number?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 12\)

\(\displaystyle 14\)

\(\displaystyle 10\)

\(\displaystyle 7\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 7\)

Explanation:

The first step is to transfer \(\displaystyle 17\) minus two times another number equals \(\displaystyle 3\) into mathematical terms. Doing so gives us:

\(\displaystyle 17-2x=3\)

Next, 17 is subtracted from each side. 

\(\displaystyle -2x=-14\)

Each side is now divided by \(\displaystyle -2\)

\(\displaystyle x=7\)

Therefore, \(\displaystyle 7\) is the correct answer. 

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